Henry Edwin “Hank” Bartels, of North Branford, Conn. died of natural causes on Jan. 16. Hank was 92 and a prominent philanthropist.

In an email sent out to the University of New Haven community, President Steve Kaplan addressed the many contributions that Bartels’ has made over the years. “He was an amazingly generous patron of higher education, the arts, health care, and too many organizations to list across the New Haven region over many decades. Hank was an emeritus member of our Board of Governors, an honorary degree recipient and president’s medal recipient and an incredible friend. He provided intelligence and leadership and positively influenced those around him,” said Kaplan. “During his 24 years of service on our Board of Governors, he consistently demonstrated how deeply he understood and appreciated the great potential of UNH and contributed his ideas and gifts toward its transformation. Hank will be missed, and his influence and enormous support will be forever remembered.”

To pay homage to all the philanthropic contributions made by Hank, the UNH community created a scrapbook of appreciation for the Bartels’ family, reflecting on how he had made a lasting impact. A memorial service in tribute to Bartels will be held at a later date and further details will be announced to the UNH community when they become available.